Blog reader Andrea wrote a post this week summarizing what she learned in a digital photography class. She kindly made her notes available right here. Anyone interested in product photography might find this DIY collapsible light box tutorial useful, compliments of Amy Kingman. I myself am not a stellar photographer, but as for my two cents, I got a new digital camera for Christmas this year. So far I love it. It's a Canon Digital Rebel XSi
. (This picture is my old camera taken with my new camera.) My single best tip for taking decent photos: study the instruction manual that came with your camera. I know you're squirming with dread at the thought, but seriously, it will help you.Update: More useful tutorials here, at I Heart Faces.
wow, thanks for the link to the blog that has lots of tips for photographers! i plain to do a post like that someday as i am new to photography as well!
ReplyDeleteI want to see a pic of your new camera taken with your new camera! I've seen your old one before.
ReplyDeleteI tried to do that but failed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! I need all the help I can get!
ReplyDeleteI got an XSi for Christmas, too! I also bought a photography book specifically written for my camera. And that's helped a lot, too. Way more pleasant than the manual.
ReplyDeleteWow!! this is useful!
ReplyDeleteI'm just trying to build a new and decent light box...
and I do belive in reading instructions: at first I try and experiment, but sometimes to discover some funcions of what you have just bought you do need the manual. :)
My boyfriend will disagree,I know. Men hates to ask, even to manuals. (That's why GSP navigators were invented)
I'm jealous of your rebel. I'm craving more megapixels.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm making an appointment with myself to read the blasted manual. :)
Excellent! Thank you for the lead. That was very helpful.
ReplyDeleteTrying hard to retain it all...whoops, it already slipped away.
I also have an XSi that I completely love. That camera has literally changed my life, I recommend it to everyone!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I so need every part of this! Thanks and I'm headed to follow links now.
ReplyDeleteI actually used that tutorial (or part of it, anyway) to build a lightbox. It was a necessity. I just wish I wasn't so extremely lazy when it came to setting it up and that it was little bit bigger.
ReplyDeleteThanks!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Another Andrea
Thanks for this! I've been trying really hard to improve the quality of my photos. I think my Rebel is an XTi? But I love it. I also got a book (the "For Dummies" series) that is specific to my camera, and that helped a lot too, as the previous commenter mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI love my Canon Rebel!
ReplyDeleteI got that camera for Christmas as well and I love it! And I agree, the instruction manual was really helpful!
ReplyDeleteFanTAStic!! Thank you for pointing us to these great tips... I need all the help I can get.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this post! I've only recently started to go beyond the "auto" setting. Sad I know. But I love my "old" PowerShot G6 and I'm excited about doing more with it. This came at a great time!
ReplyDeleteActually, I prefer to use colourful backgrounds for my photos, but it's good to know differents ways to take a picture.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
Just wanted to tell you that I just spent the last couple of hours going through all your archive posts. I'm hooked! As a fellow graphic designer in the Chi area, we have a lot of similar interests! Thanks for such a great blog! I'll be following now : )
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this link! I can use all the tips I can get! :-)
ReplyDeletei follow your blog because of the eclectic nature of your postings, the pretty things, the wallpaper things, the orange things and today i happily learned some valuable things. thank you, i do not comment enough to reflect how much i thoroughly enjoy your blog!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I have been looking at how to make a light box. Love this idea!
ReplyDeletethank you for this post! I am always looking for info on taking better photos.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is SUPER inspirational and so helpful - I really appreciate your time and work in sharing all of these good things!
sara lee
You're quite welcome.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the links!
ReplyDeleteI recently put up a post about the importance of using a tripod (and the timer function) if you don't always have perfect light to photograph your still life creations. A lot of people found it helpful.
http://wisdomofthemoon.blogspot.com/2010/02/low-light-pictures-with-point-and-shoot.html
thanks for the link. i am actaully preparing do a post on this very subject this week!
ReplyDeleteYour old camera is my camera! I'm trying to save up to make it my old camera as well. It's a goody but oldy.
ReplyDeleteLove love love our digital Rebel. I prefer the "try it and see what happens" school over reading through manuals, but that's just me. :)
ReplyDeleteMy husband got a unipod (i.e. a tripod, except with 1 leg, not 3) for shooting with the longer lens he bought and likes it a lot.
I got the same camera for Christmas as well. I love it. Thanks for the photo box tips...I really need to make one and it looks easy.
ReplyDeleteHi! I love your blog first and foremost. Secondly, I wanted to share another great light box link from The Strobist...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html
The nice thing about this light box is that you can soften the light easily! Check it out if you get the chance. Lots of great photo tips as well.
We have a DIY Product Photography class coming up in March!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theneedleshop.net/fashion.php
Great wrte up, you can never learn enough. Kx
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I have such a hard time getting good pictures..
ReplyDeleteBeen focusing on my photography lately, guess I'm getting that dang user manual out...
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I know what you mean about the manual but I am so not wanting to read the words as I know it is true and you are right I dread it!
ReplyDeleteI got an XSi last year for Christmas. I love it!!!
ReplyDeleteI just got myself an XSi a couple of months ago and can't believe I ever lived without it!!! I agree that reading the manual, or even easier, the "For Dummies" book specifically for your camera is essential. So many people just point their cameras at things and click. If the point of a photo is to enjoy it - take one that is enjoyable to look at!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info! I'm dealing with the subject these days while taking pictures for my online shop. Reading the instructions is a really good thing to do, I had to gather all my patience and concentration to do it but I'm glad I did... I have a Canon too.
ReplyDeleteLovely. Thank you SOOOOO much for this tutorial :)))
ReplyDeleteWIsh you a great day :)
xoxo,
Raru
Thanks for the link with the DIY light box tut. That was brilliant! Your blog is brilliant as well, I'm following this one.
ReplyDeleteGoing to check out that DIY light box tutorial. I need to make one. I had your old camera and just got the new Rebel about 6 months ago... you're going to LOVE it! Getting new lenses really made me fall in love with mine.
ReplyDeleteThis is a link to my photography web site. It's great for beginners. We have a bunch of awesome tutorials about getting to know your DSLR camera. Hopefully they will help you or your readers:
http://iheartfaces.blogspot.com/2007/10/tutorials-your-camera.html
Amy, I'm excited to check it out, esp. to learn about lenses. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. I mostly photograph cats for my blog, and I get some great shots--when I can get them to stay still!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to thank you for your link! Was pretty sure I did this already, but was probably so excited when I saw your post that I headed right over to see if anyone followed it :) Better late than ever I s'pose! Good blog vibe heading right back atcha... Cheers!
ReplyDeleteThank you soo much for all of the wonderful information. I learn something everytime I visit your beautiful blog!
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteToday I posted an entry on my blog with a link to this article.
I'd appreciate your letting me know if that's OK.
Thanks,
Nancy Ward
http://paperfriendly.blogspot.com
Just noticed your link to I Heart Faces! Thanks so much:-) Hope you're enjoying your new camera. The lenses are what makes everything look so great. You should attend a photography workshop sometime. Bet there are great ones in the Chicago area.
ReplyDelete-Amy